Record number of Scottish businesses paying real living wage, Swinney says

A record number of Scottish businesses are paying workers the real living wage, John Swinney has said.

The First Minister announced on Monday that a record 4,000 employers in Scotland are paying staff the rate, which is currently set at £13.45 an hour for workers outside of London.

Swinney said the new record means that Scotland has “proportionately around five times as many real Living Wage employers” compared to the rest of the UK.

The milestone has come at the start of Living Wage Week, which celebrates the impact the pay rate can have for workers and businesses alike, and encourages employers to sign up.

Visiting the Capital City Partnership, which works to tackle inequalities and support people into employment, to mark the milestone, Swinney said the real living wage is boosting the salaries of around 72,000 employees in Scotland.

The First Minister said: “Ensuring people are paid fairly is crucial to keep people out of poverty.

“The real Living Wage helps to make sure that salaries keep pace with the rising cost of living – supporting a fairer, more equal society.

“Paying the real Living Wage has significant benefits for employers, including improving staff retention and motivation. It also helps to increase spending in local economies, in turn boosting economic growth.”

The Scottish Government has made paying the real Living Wage a requirement for firms who receive public grants, and Swinney said his Government will continue to encourage more businesses to sign up to the scheme, which he said benefits “employers and employees alike”.

“This is an important moment where we recognise the fact that we now have 4,000 living wage employers in Scotland, and this is about increasing the value of employment,” Swinney said.

“It’s about the Government’s journey to lift children and families out of poverty, and good, sustainable, high-value employment is a significant contribution toward that journey.”

“So encouraging employers to engage with the real living wage movement and to pay a living wage to their employees is an essential part of this Government’s anti-poverty strategy.”